Save Burghilde... and the Nutella bread!

Summer Camp - Knight Camp

Dress like the knights, live like the knights, behave like the knights and heroically rescue a damsel like the knights. We experienced all of that at a different kind of summer camp at Jungschar ETG Erlen.

It all started on a normal Sunday morning in the church service. In front of the eyes of the whole congregation, our lovely damsel named Burghilde was kidnapped by an overabundance of black knights. The horrified king had to stand by and watch... But he took this opportunity and launched a call for the recruitment of new squires. He offers them training as knights. In return, however, he demands from each of them the willingness to put his life on the line for the liberation of Burghilde.

Expansion of the ruin

Under these conditions our SOLA started in the summer of 2004 with a good 30 children and teens.

As early as Thursday morning, we set off with the teens to our ruin (we pitched the tents in it) where we trained to become knights. We were kindly allowed to use the ruin Nünegg in Lieli (LU) - with a beautiful view of the Baldeggersee - for our purposes during the camp.

Thursday and Friday we spent with the expansion of the ruin. We built a kitchen, the laundry and various dormitories, each with two floors for the girls and the boys, into the still well-preserved foundation walls. This worked pretty well. We put beams into the embrasures and covered them with boards. If there was no other way, we used construction supports (stippers). The construction was very time-consuming and exhausting. For the transport of the material we needed a small truck, which of course could not be parked directly in front of the entrance of the ruin...

Start of the camp

On Saturday, the younger squires then arrived to bravely assist us in our endeavor. With a few small camp setups, the finishing touches were put on our ruin and the training to become knights could begin. How to find your way in the dark was the first training topic (a kind of scavenger hunt in the night).

Training to be a Knight

Sunday

On Sunday morning we celebrated a church service. After the exploratory OL, we continued with workshops in the afternoon where we delved into the professional world of knights. We made crowns and veils for the princess, bows and arrows for the hunter, a flag and coat of arms for our castle, various instruments for the minstrels and a cap with a little bell for the jester. In the evening we amused ourselves with "Stöckle". This game became our favorite for the rest of the week!

Monday

Always with the goal of freeing Burghilde at the end of the week in mind, we started a test run. In this cross-country game, the task was to get hold of the material for a baby carrier for our fair princess by playing various small games. Only with the completely assembled throne could our "practice princess" be freed. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to make more instruments, to paint pictures with real charcoal, to make belts and to cast coins and other things with pewter. To end the day, we practiced setting the opponents' castles on fire in another night game. Later, one by one, we sank exhausted into our four-poster beds in our castle chambers.

Tuesday

Tuesday began with a jousting tournament in which more knightly skills were practiced. These included handling a lance, measuring strength in tree trunk throwing, nailing, skill in crossing the soap run, etc. At noon we went to another knight's dynasty to ask for support in our dangerous undertaking. But how big was the disappointment when after four hours of marching we only found an abandoned ruin. It was decided to take a rest and bivouac there, on the other side of the lake, with the "tarpaulins" we had brought with us.

Wednesday

At daybreak we hurriedly made our way back, unable to refrain from getting really clean in the lakeside pool once again. Visibly refreshed and refreshed, we made the final climb back to our castle. But nobody had expected what was waiting for us there. Our ruin was occupied by foreign knights. We had no choice: we had to fight to win back our castle. Armed with a quickly built battering ram and water balloons, we stormed the castle. The fierce battle dragged on! Freshly bathed as we were, we were showered with syrup, water, flour and sawdust. But in the end, we made it. All the foreign knights were put to flight or bound and gagged into our custody. The whole castle had to be put back in order, and by the time we were all reasonably clean again too, the evening sun was beaming down on us and we could once again enjoy our well-deserved sleep.

Thursday

In the morning we contented ourselves with workshops making knight's helmets, casting lead, binding our Bibles, etc. Until the afternoon, when we prepared one last time for the deliverance that was yet to come. We played a sort of burn ball, but in a small ravine. There were four stops via soap rails and zip lines. The ball was played in the rather dry riverbed.

Friday

On Friday morning our scouts reported that they had found a trace of Burghilde. We, of course, immediately set out on a path that did indeed lead us to Burghilde. But she was chained to a tree with a thousand locks. The greatest battle of all knightly times began. The battle was fought with brush and paint. All keys had to be taken from the black knights, so that our poor Burghilde and her Nutellabrot could finally be freed. After the work was done, a triumphal procession followed back to our castle. There we started with the preparations for the big knight's feast, which was announced for the evening. After a feast and good entertainment in the form of dancing, singing and theatre, our greatest wish was fulfilled. Each squire was knighted by the king.

Saturday

Because our mission was accomplished and a task awaited each newly appointed knight in his homeland, we decided to break down our quarters again and go home. And if he did not die, even there each knight still serves bravely and his king.

Everyday life as a knight - roles

Of course, our castle included a king, a monk and the court jester. From time to time we were visited by the merchant who brought a selection of sweets.

Spiritual

The castle monk's job was to call the knight folk together each evening and tell them a piece of a story. Other
trained knights then explained it in more detail. As a spiritual theme for devotions and quiet time, the book of Joshua occupied our minds. Like Joshua, we too are knights of God, fighting on behalf of the King for Him and His kingdom. We need to train and keep asking for His will.

Castle Ghost

In our castle we were visited daily by a castle ghost, who did a job unnoticed every day. So once all the water taps were decorated with gift ribbons, flowers decorated our courtyard and once even someone was locked in the toilet. Each evening we discussed our observations and offered a hint as to who the ghost might be...

Goodnight Story

Just before bedtime, we enjoyed a story by romantic firelight. The adventures of the jester Till Eulenspiegel accompanied us into a chivalrous sleep

Interested?

If interested in more info, the SOLA DVD or tips of any kind, feel free to contact: www.etg-buchwiesen.ch

• Content and picture: Forum Kind Heft 3/06, page 17. Summer camp 2004 in a ruin, ETG Erlen.
  
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• Author: Anja Höneisen